William Shakespeare | Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company | Directed by Matt Swan

Derby’s Markeaton Park proves the perfect setting for a delightfully comic production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, Shakespeare’s classic tale of love, mischief and magic directed by Matt Swan.

Kevin Elyot | Crescent Theatre | Directed by Rod Natkiel

The Crescent Theatre’s production of ‘My Night with Reg’, Kevin Elyot’s modern tragi-comedy masterpiece, is a powerful and emotionally charged hit. The play, first performed at the Royal Court in 1995, delves into the complex world of ‘gay manners and morals’ in the midst of the AIDS crisis. Set in the 1980s London ‘gay community’ (if such a thing can really be said to exist) the play explores the lives of a group of friends whose relationships are intertwined and tested by a series of deceptions, betrayals, and regrets over several tumultuous years.

Lawrence Kasha & David Landay | Lichfield Garrick | Directed by Patrick Jervis

Lichfield Operatic Society’s production of ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ is a brilliantly performed hit of pure nostalgia that captures the spirit of the Golden Age of movie musicals. Set in 1850s Oregon, this classic musical follows the story of Millie, who transforms seven wild and unkempt brothers into ‘romantic gentlemen’.